Known machines for washing fabric items, or washing machines, typically include one or more user-selectable parameters such as water level, which the user can select depending on the size of a load and also on the type of fabric that the articles to be washed are made. While there are certain efficiencies to be realized when allowing the user to select the level of water in the machine, the user's estimations may not always be accurate, which can result in inefficient washing cycles that use either too much or too little water for the type and size of load present in the machine.
Attempts have been made in the past to automate the water filling operation of the machine such that an appropriate amount of water is used. One example of a previously proposed method for automatically setting the water level in a machine can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,086 (the '086 patent), which is directed to an Adaptive Water Level Adjustment for an Automatic Washer. The '086 patent describes a system and method for determining the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and fabric items during a wash process as a basis for setting the liquid level in the washer. In the '086 patent, the degree of engagement is determined based on determining a running average of amplitude of ripples in the waveform of the current or speed of a motor operating the clothes mover. While the system described in the '086 patent may be partially effective in determining a water level, inaccuracies for certain loads or types of loads may skew the determined water level.